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"We all know our chronological age. That's as simple as counting the candles on your birthday cake. But do you know your biological age? This second number measures not how many years you've seen, but how much those years have impacted the functioning of your body and brain. Scientists calculate it a number of ways, but whatever methodology they employ, they agree chronological and biological age don't always line up. Some 80-year-olds function like people decades younger. They ace their memory and cognitive tests, and scientists peering at their cells can even spot significant differences. Experts have dubbed these role models of healthy aging "superagers." Just about all of us would love to one day become one. How do you achieve that? A long and fascinating article in the latest issue of UCSF Magazine delves into the work of the University of California, San Francisco's Memory and Aging Center to answer this question (hat tip to PsyBlog). Much of this research is still far too new to be of everyday use, but science has already determined a few simple interventions you can start using today to help keep your brain young."

"Doodle 4 Google Canada is a national contest inviting students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to redesign the logo for the Google.ca homepage for a day.* As Canada blows out a whole lot of candles for its 150th birthday this year, what better way to celebrate than by asking students to imagine what the next 150 years will look like? Google believes our youth hold the key to a bright future for Canada, and can't wait to see what their optimism, creativity and imagination give rise to. The winning doodle will be featured on the Google Canada homepage for 24 hours. The winning student will also receive a $10,000 university scholarship, a Google Chromebook, and a $10,000 technology award for their current school along with a trip to the final event on June 13, 2017."

"Drawing on your phone or computer can be slow and difficult-so we created AutoDraw, a new web-based tool that pairs machine learning with drawings created by talented artists to help you draw. It works on your phone, computer, or tablet (and it's free!). So the next time you want to make a birthday card, party invite or just doodle on your phone, it'll be as easy and fast as everything else on the web."

"My daughter looks up from her cereal and says, "You know what day I can't wait for?" "Um, your birthday?" She shakes her head. "Next Christmas?" She shakes her head again and then says, "The first day back to school. I can't wait to see my friends and my teacher. I don't know what projects we're going to do but I know it's going to be awesome." She's right. It will be awesome because her teacher is always trying new projects. She is always taking creative risks and my daughter is excited to be there as a result. It has me thinking of a brilliant blog post that A.J. Juliani wrote last year, imploring teachers to use the new year as a reboot to take new creative risks.So, with that in mind, I'm going to share a few of my own thoughts on creative risks teachers can take with the start of a new year."

We all have a story to tell, and so do your students! From your Kindergartener's weekend birthday party to your 12th grader's Senior Prom, your students want to talk and share. 21st century learning and the Common Core State Standards encourage today's students to move beyond basic telling and writing to recording, publishing, tweeting and blogging.